This application claims the priority of German Application No. 103 47 128.6 filed Oct. 10, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a valve having a valve needle, a valve chamber and a valve seat for feeding a medium into a receptacle, configured so that when the valve is closed, the face of the valve needle when the valve is closed as well as the valve chamber essentially close off flush with an inner surface of the receptacle.
Valves of many different constructions are known which are not sufficiently suitable for feeding a medium into a receptacle, particularly if the receptacle is filled with a material and has to meet high hygienic demands. It is problematic in this case that, in particular, the receptacle charge will penetrate into indentations and gaps which are characteristic of conventional valves. A valve according to the preamble is known from German Patent Document DE 101 52 764 A1.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved valve which permits an efficient and economical feeding of a medium into a receptacle, also with respect to the cleaning expenditures for the receptacle, if this receptacle is subject to high hygienic requirements.
This object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention in that the end face-side end of the valve needle is shaped as a cone whose largest diameter occurs at the end face of the valve needle. This solution offers the advantage that the narrowing part of the valve needle behind the end face has an increasing distance from the valve body, which clearly reduces the transfer of coldness by heat conduction. This improves the maintenance of the accuracy of the fit and increases the service life of the valve.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the valve seat is advantageously arranged essentially in one plane with an outer surface of the receptacle or at a short distance from this plane. This further development of the invention also has constructive advantages.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, when the valve is open, the valve needle is preferably disposed in floating manner. Particularly preferably, a duct is provided for feeding the medium into the interior of the valve, the longitudinal axis of the duct being arranged at an angle of between 30 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the valve needle. Thus, the medium to be fed flows laterally against the valve needle.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, fits with small tolerance zones are expediently provided between the receptacle and the valve chamber and/or between the valve chamber and the valve needle.
Another aspect of the invention is the use of a valve according to respective preferred embodiments. Particularly advantageously, such a valve is provided for feeding a cryogenic medium into a receptacle, particularly a receptacle containing food.
The invention has a number of advantages.
When a valve according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, is installed, the surface of the interior wall of the receptacle remains almost unchanged and smooth. This is an important advantage particularly for receptacles which contain food and have to cleaned regularly. As a result, the risk of bacteriological contamination by food residue which was not removed during the cleaning can be effectively decreased.
When a valve according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention is shut, the valve is freed of any material which has penetrated from the interior of the receptacle into the opened valve. It is found to be particularly advantageous to preferably insert the valve such that it shuts in the direction of the material in the receptacle. This is advantageous, for example, for highly viscous food in a mixing, cooling or cooking receptacle into which a medium, such as liquid and/or inert gas, is fed.
The invention as well as additional details of the invention will be explained in detail in the following by means of an embodiment illustrated in the figures.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.